Richard Gorham Missing Person Case

Jul 08, 2019

Jul 15, 2019

Richard

Gorham

51

11

56 inches

60 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the quiet expanse of Avra Valley, Arizona, a troubling mystery began to unfold in the summer of 1986. Eleven-year-old Richard Gorham, a boy with red hair and hazel eyes, was last seen on the evening of July 7, 1986. He was with his 52-year-old grandfather, Roland Himebrook, with whom he had been living. The pair resided in the 17700 block of Chinle Place in Marana, a detail that adds a specific location to their sudden and unexplained absence. Richard, who also went by the nickname Richie, had reportedly run away from his mother's home to live with his grandfather due to alleged abuse from his mother's live-in boyfriend. This background of family tension casts a shadow over the events that would follow. The grandfather and grandson were a familiar sight together, making their joint disappearance all the more alarming to those who knew them. The days turned into weeks with no word from Richard or Roland. Concern mounted, and on July 12, a friend of Roland's officially reported them missing. It was uncharacteristic of Roland to leave without informing his daughter, and the fact that both he and Richard left all of their clothing and personal belongings behind suggested that their departure was not planned. The search for answers led to a significant but grim discovery on September 27. Roland's white 1966 Chevrolet El Camino pickup truck was found abandoned in the desert near Silver Bell, south of Tucson. Authorities estimated that the vehicle had been sitting there for approximately two months, a silent testament to the long period they had been gone. There was no sign of Richard or Roland at the scene, deepening the mystery surrounding their whereabouts. The investigation into the disappearance of Richard Gorham and Roland Himebrook has spanned decades, yet a resolution remains elusive. Foul play is suspected in their case. The difficult family dynamics, particularly the alleged abuse by Richard's mother's boyfriend and his known confrontations with Roland, have made him a person of interest in the investigation. However, without sufficient evidence, no charges have ever been filed. The case is a haunting example of how a person can vanish, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a family left to grapple with an enduring loss. The Pima County Sheriff's Department continues to hold the case open, a silent promise that Richard and Roland have not been forgotten.

Jul 07, 1986

Avra Valley

Arizona

Pima County

85653

No

57228

Pima County Sheriff's Department

Tucson

Arizona

Pima County

85714

1750 East Benson Highway, Arizona

5203514600

County

Law Enforcement

https://www.pimasheriff.org/

860712712

1986-07-12

Pima County Sheriff's Department

9812

Red/Auburn

Hazel

Hazel

No

07/30/2026